title: Blue-emitting self-assembled polymer electrolytes for fast, sensitive, label-free detection of Cu(II) ions in aqueous media.
abstract: We have developed a light-emitting material based on nonconjugated block copolymers that contain polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) chains. The confinement of the PSS chains within nanosized domains appeared to be a powerful means of achieving enhanced fluorescence signals. High fluorescence quantum yield, with a maximum value of 37%, was obtained by adjusting the types of self-assembled morphologies of PSS-containing block copolymers; in contrast, the fluorescence quantum yield was merely 5% for the PSS homopolymer lacking organization. The wavelength of fluorescence emission was tunable by rational molecular design. In addition, significant self-quenching behavior was not noticed in diverse forms of this material such as solutions, thin films, and free-standing membranes. Notably, the light-emitting self-assembled block copolymer electrolytes exhibited high sensitivity toward Cu(2+) ions, with a detection limit of parts per billion levels, rapid response time of ≤1 min, and insignificant interference of other competitive metal ions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyungmin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sung Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Onnuri
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ilyoung
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Chang-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Moon Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D003124:Colorimetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D011137:Polystyrenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid; D003300:Copper